It is known to injection-embed parts during the injection process in the injection molding of plastic objects. These parts may be, for example, reinforcements, hinges, fastening parts, metallic contact elements of electrical plug connections, or the like.
It is further known in the injection molding of plastic objects to use molds in which corresponding mold cavities are arranged in a parting plane of the mold. For reasons relating to injection technology, it is often necessary in the process for the individual mold cavities to be different in terms of the orientation of the objects embedded therein. The mold cavities may thus, for example, be oriented in a star shape with respect to a common central supply conduit.
When, in this instance, inserts of the aforesaid kind need to be introduced into the mold cavities prior to the injection molding process, it is important for the relevant insert in each mold cavity to be placed in the respective orientation of the mold cavity.
Previously known handling systems have archived this object in a very complicated manner, by the fact that the handling system assumes a new orientation for each individual mold cavity. This requires considerable programming effort and can lead to malfunctions during operation, in particular if the cycle times of the plastic injection molding machine are to be kept as short as possible.
In addition, multiple inserts are often provided for each mold cavity, for example in the case of electrical plug connections in which multiple metallic contact elements are injection-embedded in plastic. Four mold cavities may, for example, be provided, in each of which five inserts are arranged. The total of twenty inserts must then be quickly placed in a confined space, each in the correct position and in the predefined alignment.
Published UK patent application 2 158 003 discloses an automatic continuously cycleable molding system for manufacturing semi-conductor components. The system is fed with leadframes which are pre-arranged in a first station in groups of e.g., 14 leadframes and are then jointly transferred by a second station into a cavity of a mold. All of the leadframes in the group are arranged in parallel, e.g., in 2 rows of 7 leadframes each. The 14 leadframes are then jointly injection-molded. They are separated from each other later on for obtaining 14 individual embedded components.